Case Number 02998

ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES: SPECIAL EDITION

The Charge

For the good of all men, and the love of one woman, he fought to uphold
justice by breaking the law.

Opening Statement

Remember the days when Kevin Costner commanded the big screen? During the
late 1980s and early '90s, Costner was one of the most popular leading men in
film. Costner's career peaked with the sweeping success of Dances With
Wolves, a drama that garnered him Best Director and Best Picture Oscars, as
well as numerous other accolades and awards. One year later Costner would star
in the updated version of the Robin Hood legend -- aptly titled Robin Hood:
Prince of Thieves. Directed by his sometime sparring partner Kevin Reynolds
(187) and also starring Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption),
Christian Slater (Hard Rain), Alan Rickman (Die Hard), and Mary
Elizabeth Mastrantonio (The Abyss) as the fair Maid Marian, Robin
Hood: Prince of Thieves comes back to DVD in a new two-disc "extended
edition" care of Warner Home Entertainment.

Facts of the Case

As though most of you don't already know the story or Robin Hood (played with
a compelling flatness by Mr. Fluffy Hair himself, Kevin Costner). For those who
weren't paying attention for the first 800 years...

After returning home to England from the Crusades (and from being tortured
overseas), Robin of Locksley finds his home in ruins and his father dead. With
his family heritage and kingdom in ruins, Robin discovers that the cruel fiend
behind this brutality is none other than the vicious Sheriff of Nottingham
(Rickman, in a role that must be seen to be believed). With King Richard away to
London, the Sheriff has imposed his cruelty upon his people (in one fantastic
fit of anger, the Sheriff decides to "call off Christmas"). After
meeting up with his band of Merry Men in the forest (including Little John, Will
Scarlet, Friar Tuck, et cetera), Robin attempts to right some of the wrongs by
becoming a hero for the innocent peasants under Nottingham's rule. With the help
of his new Moor friend Azeem (Freeman), Robin and his cohorts (everyone say it
with me) "steal from the rich to give to the poor." Along the way
Robin falls in love with the fair Maid Marian (Mastrantonio), though her love is
not without its challenges -- Nottingham also has eyes for Marian and has
decided to force her into a loveless marriage with him. Can Robin Hood save his
lady-in-waiting, lead his band of Merry Men into action, and defeat the evil
Sheriff of Nottingham's plans?

The Evidence

I'm going to bet my bottom dollar, Annie-style, that the most popular
cinematic incarnation of Robin Hood was the version played by swashbuckler Errol
Flynn. There is something endearing and enduring about this character -- so much
so that dozens of films have been made about him. From the dashing days of Flynn
to an aging Sean Connery in Robin and Marian to Mel Brooks' spoof
Robin Hood: Men in Tights, the myth and legend have captured the
adventurous spirit of moviegoers around the globe.

For those that have seen many of those previous Robin Hood flicks, I'm sure
they'll be debate as to which actor portrayed the conniving hero best. I have
the feeling, however, that Kevin Costner won't be showing up on any such list.
The weakest link in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is Costner's laid back
hero -- the man wouldn't know energy if it landed in his lap and pleasured him
orally. Costner displays a lazy eyed look through most of the film, a poor
acting choice when compared to audience's perceptions of what Robin should be
like (merry, full of grace and warmth, and very sly).

In contrast, the rest of the cast is excellent -- the centerpiece being Alan
Rickman's tour-de-force performance as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Rickman, no
stranger to stealing scenes (see his work as the baddie in Die Hard and
an angel in Dogma for proof) pulls off one of the funniest, most vile
performances of his -- and any actor's, for that matter -- career. Twisting his
face into snarls and pains (and spouting out wonderful one liners like there's
no tomorrow), Rickman is nothing short of hysterical. While it may be debated
that his performance here doesn't quite fit the material, at least we know that
every time he shows up we'll be wildly entertained. Other standouts in the cast
include Morgan Freeman as Robin's newfound Moorish friend Azeeem. Freeman is
able to bring grace and depth to almost any script, no matter how trite the
dialogue and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is no exception. Mary
Elizabeth Mastrantonio does her best to look radiant (that hair! Oh la la!) and
Christian Slater is...well, Christian Slater. The guy may not have tons of
range, but at least he's got energy, which is more than I can say for Mr.
Costner.

Director Kevin Reynolds knows his way around an action movie. The guy
directed Costner's undersea epic Waterworld (once touted as the most
expensive film ever made), which was a fantastic adventure that is vastly
underrated. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves features dozens of scenes
sporting huts burning, men being shot with arrows, swords slicing, horses
galloping, and various other stunts that make manly men go "woo-hoo!"
The action is well paced and, thankfully, void of any CGI effects or
enhancement. This particular version of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
includes over 12 minutes of footage not seen in the theatrical release, mostly
more background info on Robin's sinister nemesis, the Sheriff of Nottingham.
While Robin Hood really wasn't a movie that required more length (it
already had clocked in at almost 2 1/2 hours), the extra footage of Rickman is a
welcome addition.

It's been well over a decade since the release of Robin Hood: Prince of
Thieves. All in all the film still stands the test of time. A few hairstyles
look a bit out of place, though generally speaking the film retains a timeless
quality that will entertain adults as well as children (though I wouldn't advise
this movie to anyone under the age of 13). Now we all get to lay in wait for the
next incarnation of this famous fellow's tale...

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is presented in its original widescreen
aspect ratio of 1.66:1, enhanced for 16x9 TV sets. Originally released in the
early years of DVD, this new edition sports a decent transfer that is at times
great, and at other times a bit muddled and dirty. I did spot a few instances
where lines ran across the image, as well as some dirt and grain in various key
scenes. Otherwise, the picture sports solid colors and dark black levels. While
fans will be happy with this transfer, it certainly is far from reference
quality.

The soundtrack is presented in two options: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and
DTS 5.1, both in English. Both of these soundtracks are full of crystal clear
dialogue, effects, and music (Michael Kamen's rousing score is one of the best
in recent memory). For those of you that are sick of that damned Bryan Adams
song, make sure to turn the movie off before the end credits roll. Overall both
tracks boast a decent array of directional effects and surround sounds -- there
are a great many whizzing arrows and whooshing catapults to please those in
possession of a home theater system. All aspects of the mix are free and clear
of excessive distortion. Also included on this disc are English, French, and
Spanish subtitles.

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is part of Warner's new double disc
special edition line, and though the set isn't jam packed, it does include a few
meaty extra features. Here's a rundown of what's on this set:

DISC ONE:Commentary by Director Kevin Reynolds and Kevin
Costner: Hey, Warner got these two guys together for a commentary session!
Last I heard they weren't very happy with each other after the making of
Costner's Waterworld. They've apparently let bygones be bygones, since
they're both in the same room discussing the making of this film (no spliced
interviews for this disc). I was more than impressed with how engaging this
track was -- their first discussion is on the aspect ratio of the film, then
moves on to Kamen's music, the cast, the action, and various other aspects of
the film's production. This commentary is well worth the listen.

Commentary by Actors Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater and Producers Pen
Densham : This second commentary is just as amusing and interesting,
starting off with Morgan Freeman humorously stating that he is the "voice
of doom." Like the first track, this is an engaging commentary that
includes lots of stories about the story (the producers were also co-writers as
well), more facts about the film's on-location production, and some amusing
anecdotes about working with Kevin Costner and the rest of the cast.

DISC TWO:Robin Hood: Myth, Man, Movie: This hour long
documentary, hosted by James Bond's own Pierce Brosnan, takes a breathless look
at both the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and the history behind
the character. This is a fairly engaging feature that includes interviews with
Costner, director Reynolds, various other cast and crew members, plus scholars
and professors who debate weather Robin Hood was fact or fiction. "Robin
Hood: Man, Myth, Movie" is a nicely produced documentary that should shed a
bit more light on both the film's production and the legend of Robin Hood.

Bryan Adams: Live at Slane Castle: Fans will thrill to watching Adams
sing an acoustic version of the hit theme "(Everything I Do) I Do It For
You" live at Slane Castle. This is presented in anamorphic widescreen and,
as most of you know, was played at every wedding during the 1991 fiscal
year.

One on One with the Cast: Included under this section are 1991
interviews with Kevin Costner, Alan Rickman, Christian Slater, Mary Elizabeth
Mastrantonio, and Morgan Freeman discussing their roles in the film. Most of
these are in rough, fuzzy condition and are very surface level discussions on
the actor's character, their role in the film, and what it was like working with
the cast. If you have time these are worth watching, though the hour long
documentary is far better in both quality and quantity.

Publicity Gallery: Under the section you'll find a trailer
(non-anamorphic) and six TV spots for the film, a brief photo gallery of images
from the film, as well as various other Morgan Creek DVD trailers.

Weapons Gallery: A short gallery of five weapons used in the film,
each one of these motion menus tells about the history of the weapon (bows and
arrows, swords, et cetera) and what their uses were. This is a wonderful feature
for those who wish to know more about medieval instruments of death.

Finally there is Michael Kamen's isolated music score remixed in Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround, as well as an extended list of cast and crew credits and
bios.

Closing Statement

If you liked Warner's original DVD release, you're going to love this full
blown two disc set. If you end up running around your neighborhood in tights
shooting people with arrows, you need to seek psychological counseling. As for
me, I think Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a fine action movie
throwback to the early 1990s -- a time when computer graphics weren't used in
every single frame of the movie (George Lucas: take a note). It's worth seeing
if you're a diehard Costner fan, or just in the mood for a fun swashbuckling
tale.

The Verdict

Grab a jug of God's best ale and pull up a seat...Robin Hood: Prince of
Thieves is about to begin! This film has been found not guilty by the high
courts of Nauglewood!